Rent vs buy in Kenner, LA
In Kenner, Louisiana, the typical rent is $1,595 /mo and the typical home costs $259,864.
It's a toss-up, with the two options $4,191 apart over 7 years.
Kenner's typical rent and home value form the basis, with a 20% down payment and today's mortgage rate included. You'll reach break-even in year 8.
An opinion with clear labels and the math shown. These are estimates, not quotes. The stamp changes when you change a number.
- Gap
- $4k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- year 8 when owning catches up
- Full cost of owning
- $2,341 /mo year 1, against $1,595 rent
Change my numbers
Kenner's typical rent and home value are the inputs for the stamp. Your rent, price and years can change the result.
Do these numbers differ from the city's?
Enter the rent, price and down payment you want to use. The stamp updates with those numbers.
Is renting or buying cheaper in Kenner?
Over 7 years, the two choices end no more than $4,191 apart, so small changes decide the result. For the first 7 years, renting costs less. By year 8, owning catches up.
Renting. Owning. Net cost by year so far.
Average rent compared with mortgage payments in Kenner
Rent and the mortgage don't tell the whole story. Here are all monthly costs for year 1 at Kenner's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,595 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $1,417 | $1,249 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $82 | 0.38% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $263 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $217 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $1,979 | $168 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $422 | At 8.3% a year, the cash would earn this amount. |
| Buying costs, spread out | $108 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $2,341 | Cash out minus the equity portion, plus the two costs above |
Numbers behind the Kenner result
- Typical home valueZillow ZHVI, September 2026
- $259,864
- Typical rentZillow ZORI, September 2026
- $1,595 /mo
- Down payment20% avoids private mortgage insurance, which the engine does not model
- 20%
- Mortgage rateFreddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED MORTGAGE30US)
- 7.24%
- Home price growthFHFA house price index, Louisiana, 1995 to 2025
- 3.6% a year
- Rent growthCPI rent of primary residence, yearly growth 2006 to 2026
- 3.5% a year
- Return on savings60% S&P 500 with dividends and 40% 10-year Treasuries, rebalanced yearly, 1928 to 2025
- 8.3% a year
- Property taxCensus ACS 2020-2024, Kenner
- 0.38% of value
- Home insuranceCensus ACS 2020-2024, Kenner
- $263 /mo
- MaintenanceFannie Mae, low end of 1% to 4%
- 1% of value a year
- Buying costsFreddie Mac, middle of 2% to 5%
- 3.5% of price
- Selling costsAgent commission plus closing costs
- 6% of price
What would reverse the outcome in Kenner?
Each line marks where the 7-year result for Kenner changes, while all other factors stay the same.
Renting is better when
- Home prices rise by less than 3.8% a year (we apply Louisiana's long-run rate of 3.6%).
- The mortgage rate remains above the 6.95% level.
- A similar home rents for less than $1,640 each month, compared with the typical $1,595.
- Before year 8 begins, you move.
The buying choice wins if
- Home prices increase by more than 3.8% a year.
- You secure a mortgage rate under 6.95% (today's is 7.24%).
- The same home would cost more than $1,640 a month to rent.
- You remain there for 8 years or more.
Kenner compared with the other 812 cities
| Measure | Kenner | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $259,864 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,595 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 13.6 (#698 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | -0.6% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Property tax | 0.38% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 37% | 42% |
Sources: Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More cities in Louisiana
- For New Orleans, LA, the result is a toss-up, with renting ahead by $1k.
- Renting has a $10k advantage over buying in Baton Rouge, LA.
- Buying has a $21k advantage over renting in Shreveport, LA.
- Rent. In Lafayette, LA, renting wins by $8k.
- Buying has a $6k advantage over renting in Lake Charles, LA.
- Buying has a $15k advantage over renting in Bossier City, LA.